Allied – Hurricane P5208 / 5205

Similar dogfights over the Solent claimed the life of Flt. Lt. C. E. Bowen’s Hurricane P5208 as well as P3830. The Bf110s of KG55 Group conducted a highly successful attack over Woolston and the Supermarine aircraft factory, resulting in its total destruction. On their journey back to France, they encountered Hurricanes from Middle Wallop’s 238 and Tangmere’s 697 Squadrons. Despite being outnumbered by more than one hundred German fighters, nine allies were shot down. Luckily, despite piloting a severely damaged aircraft, Flt. Lt. C. E. Bowen managed to successfully eject. At Coleman’s Farm Porchfield, however, the Hurricane slammed violently into the earth while diving.

There appear to be two misunderstandings regarding which Hurricane aircraft crashed where on the 26th. According to Gilliam, Hurricane P3830 grounded at the Sun Inn, while according to Leal, it crashed at Coleman’s Farm Porchfield. This brings us to the second issue, as the other Hurricane was P5205 in Gilliam’s records but P5208 in Leal’s. Adrian Searl’s third source has the same information as Leal: P3830 coming down at Porchfield.

Note: All images are merely representative of the aircraft and not specific.

• All images are of similar aircraft and not the specific plane in question
• Wight Air Wrecks – A T Gilliam ISBN 0-7524-2376-2
• Battle in the Skies – H J Leal (IWCP)